40 home sales top $1 million in July

Forty homes and condominiums sold for $1 million or more in Sarasota County last month, generating a total of $70.2 million and averaging $1.75 million each.

By MICHAEL BRAGAmichael.braga@heraldtribune.com

Is it spring in July?

If the pace of luxury homes sales in Sarasota County is any indication, the answer is yes.

Forty homes and condominiums sold for $1 million or more in Sarasota County last month, generating a total of $70.2 million and averaging $1.75 million each.

The pace last month matched that of March, more of the traditional high season for home sales in Southwest Florida. The high sales in July speaks to the recovery occurring in Southwest Florida's real estate market.

The July results also were an improvement when compared the 37 Sarasota properties that sold during June, generating $60.8 million and an average price of $1.64 million in June. July sales were far better than the 26 homes and condos and two waterfront lots that changed hands in July 2012 for $48.2 million.

All of the sales but one were on the region's barrier islands.

Tops on the list was a 9,044- square-foot house on Siesta Key's Mangrove Point Road that changed hands for $4.9 million. The property had sold for $4 million in March 2012.

Second was a 7,091-square-foot house on Longboat Key's Ranger Lane that sold for $4.5 million. The previous owner paid $3.85 million in March 2006.

Third was a 4,194-square-foot condominium in the Ritz-Carlton Beach Residences on Lido Key for $3.35 million. The property last changed hands for $2.5 million in August 2009.

Rounding out the list of the top 10 properties, listed by price:• A 3,654-square-foot condo in Longboat's Regent Place complex that sold for $2.75 million. The previous owners paid $1.29 million the year the complex was built in 1995.• An 8,586-square-foot house on Lido's Tyler Drive for $2.7 million. The property last sold for $2.2 million in June 2000.• A 2,064-square-foot house on Bird Key's Mourning Dove Drive that sold for $2.3 million. The previous owner paid $700,000 in August 1997.• A 2,807-square-foot house Manasota Key Road that sold for $2.28 million. The property previously sold for $1.8 million in March 2009.• A 5,815-square-foot house on North Lake Short Drive in Sarasota that sold for $2.2 million. The property previously changed hands for $1.45 million in August 2002.• A 4,610-square-foot condominium on Siesta's Seagrove Lane that sold for for $2.04 million. The previous owner paid $2.38 million in May 2007.• A 4,138-square-foot house on Longboat's Yardarm Lane that sold for $2 million. The previous owner paid $700,000 in July 2009. The property had changed hands for $2.8 million in December 2005.